Motor vehicle auxiliary signalling system



Feb. 3, 1970' c. G. MORENA Filed NOV. 9. 1867 7'0 EX/STl/VG DIRECT/UNA].LAMPIS MOTOR VEHICLE AUXILIARY SIGNALLING SYSTEM INVENTOR. CARMEN G.MORENA ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oifice 3,493,926 Patented Feb. 3,1970 3,493,926 MOTOR VEHICLE AUXILIARY SIGNALLING SYSTEM Carmen G.Morena, 48 Columbus St.,

Providence, RI. 02908 Filed Nov. 9, 1967, Ser. No. 681,735 Int. Cl. B60q1/46 U.S. Cl. 340-76 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A motor vehicleauxiliary signalling system which may be readily added as an accessoryitem to a motor vehicle having flashing directional signals in which allof the signal lamps on the vehicle may be simultaneously illuminated asclearance lights or may be sequentially flashed on the proper side ofthe vehicle as turning indicators.

Background of the invention a Most modern motor vehicles are equippedwith directional signal lamps which operate from the parking and stoplight circuits which lamps are selectively energized by a turn indicatorswitch. Larger motor vehicles, such as trucks, are required by law tocarry clearance or marker lights and as a general rule these clearanceor marker lights are steadily illuminated and in addition such largervehicles also carry turning indicators which are easily flashed toindicate the direction of travel of the vehicle.

Summary The invention is directed to an auxiliary signalling systemwhich may be added to a motor vehicle having the usual flasherinterrupter of the thermal type. A switching system is provided forenergizing the auxiliary signal lamps directly from a source of voltagewithin the vehi cle but under control of the output from the thermalflasher interrupter. Additionally, a transfer relay is pro vided whichwill normally connect the auxiliary signal lamps to the vehicleillumination system and then transfer the same to the flashing systemwhen the same is operated.

Description of the drawings The single figure is a schematic of theauxiliary signalling system of the invention.

Description of the preferred embodiment With reference to the drawings.generally designates a plurality of signalling lamps which may be ofany number above 1 and which are connected at one side thereof to acommon ground 11 and at the other side thereof have a plurality ofso-called hot terminals 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17. From these terminals12 through 17 inclusive, a direct lead is taken to one terminal of asequential switch which is generally designated 20 and which in thepresent instance is shown as a pivoting liquid switch of the typesometimes known as the liquid contact type. In particular the switchconsists of an insulating tube of suitable construction with a pluralityof contacts in this instance numbered 21 through 26 and a common contactmember bearing the reference numeral 27. The switch is preferably hingedas at 28 and one end thereof as at 29 is connected to an electricsolenoid 30. The switch tube is partially filled with a conductingliquid such as mercury indicated at 32 and, as will be readily apparent,by actuation of the solenoid the switch will be pivoted in acounterclockwise direction as viewed in the drawing so that the mercury32 will flow to the left and sequentially energize the contacts 21through 26,

The control circuit for the signalling lamps consists principally of athermal delay relay generally designated 35 which has a thermal element36 connected to one side of the flasher interrupter 37 of theconventional thermal type controlled by a simple switch 34, which is theusual directional lever actuated, and the other side of the thermalelement is connected through a variable resistance 38 to the commonterminal or ground, The contacts generally designated 39 of the thermalrelay 35 open and close a circuit from the hot or positive lead of asource of electro- 'motive power 40 and are connected to an actuatingcoil 42 of a transfer relay. Also the flasher while being connected tothe thermal element of the thermal delay relay 35 is also connected tothe existing flashing directional lamps and to the coil of the solenoid30 over a lead 31, the other side of the coil of the solenoid beingreturned to a common terminal indicated as ground, Also connected to theterminal 37A of the switch 34 is a diode 45 which is in a forwardconducting direction toward the coil 42 of the transfer relay generallydesignated 43.

The transfer relay has two sets of contacts, a first set 46 beingconnected between the hot or positive side of the electromotive forceand when closed will apply voltage to the common terminal 27 of thesequence switch. The other set of contacts 47 which are normally closedare connected through a plurality of forward conducting diodes which forsimplicity are generally designated 50 and which connect to each of theindividual auxiliary signalling lamps generally designated 10. Thecontacts 47 are coupled to the source of power 40 through forwardconducting diodes 51 and 52 and two switches, a first switch 53 beingthe parking light switch and the second switch 55 being the headlamp ordriving lamp switch with the lead taken directly at the switch. It willtherefore be appreciated with this latter connection that whenever theparking lights are on or the head lamps are on, each of these auxiliarysignalling lamps 10 will also be on.

In the preceding description it should be recognized that the drawingsare illustrative of one set of lamps as for example one set of auxiliarysignalling lamps that would be located on one side of a vehicle. Anidentical system such as that disclosed herein would be used for theother side of the vehicle, it being understood that it will be acompletely identical system to that disclosed herein.

In operation, one would in the night time normally find that thesignalling lamps 10 would be illuminated either by virtue of theswitches 53 or 55 being closed. The energization circuit from theseswitches is of course protected by diodes 51 and 52 so that under nocondition will there ever be any chance of short circuiting of thesupply voltage. Regardless, however, as to whether the lamps arenormally constantly illuminated, the closure of the driver actuateddirectional lever switch 34 will apply voltage to the solenoid 30through normally closed interrupter 37 so as to tilt the switch 20 andsimultaneously through a forward conducting diode 45, voltage will beapplied to the coil 42 of the transfer relay 43 which in turn willoperate the contactor and apply voltage to the common conductor 27 ofthe switch 20, In this manner an initial sequential flash can takeplace. After the initial flash has taken place with the mercury 32traveling from right to left, the flasher 37 will open and de-energizesolenoid 30 causing the mercury to travel from left to right and flashthe lamps in the reverse direction. If the period of the thermal relay35 is set for a longer period than the flasher interrupter 37, thetransfer relay 43 will remain closed, and the auxiliary signalling lamps10' will operate under direct control of the flasher interrupter 37.Thus upon every operation of the interrupter contact switch 37, the onlyload that will be placed thereon will be the load presented by the coilof the solenoid 30, all loading for the individual auxiliary signallinglamps being presented directly to the source of voltage through thetransfer relay 43 and more particularly the contact 46. During this 3period of operation the diode 45 will prevent any short circuiting ofwhat is in effect two positive leads from the source of potential.

I claim:

1. A motor vehicle auxiliary signalling system comprising a plurality ofsignalling lamps, sequential switching means having a plurality ofswitches and an actuating means therefor, a transfer relay with a firstcontactor, each lamp connected through a switch of said switching meansand said first contactor to a source of voltage so that each lamp willbe illuminated in sequence, a directional flasher switch, a flasherinterrupter, a delay relay having a contactor connected to said source,said flasher switch connected in a series circuit from a source ofvoltage with the flasher interrupter, said series circuit connected tothe delay relay, to the actuating means and through a forward biaseddiode to energize the transfer relay, the contactor of the delay relayalso energizing the transfer relay, whereby the contactor of the delayrelay will energize the transfer relay independently of the flasherinterrupter.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein the vehicle has a parking light switchand said transfer relay has a second contactor, said second contactorincluded in the circuit from the parking light switch to said signallinglamps, the transfer relay being initially energized by the interrupterand secondarily by the contactor of the delay relay, whereby thesignalling lamps are changed from an all-0n condition to a sequentialflashing condition.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 313 1914 Great Britain,

THOMAS B. HABECKER, Primary Examiner KENNETH N. LEIMER, AssistantExaminer US. Cl. X.R. 34082, 115, 176

